Toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly with integrated hinge eyes

ABSTRACT

A toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly comprising such as toilet seat and an associated cover, in which the seat and the cover each are/is formed integrally with hinge eyes ( 6,7 ) at their rear edges for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl ( 9 ) about a horizontal axis. Both the seat ( 1 ) and the cover ( 2 ) are made by compression moulding in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface being formed of the first mould part and a second surface being formed of the second mould part, a seat parting line ( 3 ) and a cover parting line ( 4 ) provided along the periphery defining the transition between the first face and the second face. The seat parting line ( 3 ) and the cover parting line ( 4 ) both extend continuously and without sharp concave notches such that flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a toilet seat according to the preambleof claim 1 and a toilet cover assembly according to the preamble ofclaim 5.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Toilet seats and covers are often secured to the toilet bowl bymeans of hinge pins and hinge eyes. The hinge eyes may be formed asseparate steel eyes screwed onto the seat and the cover at their rearedges and engaging angular hinge pins screwed onto the toilet bowl.However, toilet seats are also known, where the seat and the cover areformed integrally with hinge eyes.

[0003] As an example, some manufacturers produce toilet seats bycompression moulding of urea plastics, wherein the hinge eyes are formedas projections at the rear edge of the seat and the cover, respectively.

[0004] However, these projections constitute a production problem. Incompression moulding and sometimes in other moulding processes flash orfins are inevitably formed in the parting line between the two mouldparts, said flash or fins subsequently having to be removed from themoulded workpiece and it is difficult or impossible to carry out asmooth grinding off of the fin or flash in the area adjacent theprojections. The grinding process is often carried out in a roboticedging process by means of a belt grinder and it is very difficult toaccess the innermost corners at the projections without damaging theadjacent edge portions and thus forming notches and sharp edges therein.From an aesthetic aspect this is very unfortunate and consequently hasan adverse effect on the retail price of the toilet seat. Furthermorethe projections may give rise to a strength problem, overloading causingthem to break off. Finally the projections may also present a problem asregards hygiene, efficient cleaning being more complicated due toimpurities accumulating in the innermost corners.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat and atoilet cover assembly of the above type which are not encumbered by theabove draw-backs.

[0006] According to the invention the hinge eyes are provided in areasof the seat which are spaced apart from the seat parting line, said seatparting line extends continuously and without sharp, concave notchessuch that the flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may beground off without removing additional moulding material. A toilet seatis thus obtained, where the fin may be easily ground off for instance bymeans of a robotic belt grinder so as to provide an attractive andsmooth surface and further to significantly reduce the risk of the hingeeyes breaking off. Moreover moulding and hygiene advantages are alsoobtained.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the seatparting line has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius ofcurvature of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 15 mm, whenmeasured perpendicular to the surface of the seat material. An easierand faster robotic edging process is thus obtained The larger theradius, the wider tape can be used in the belt grinder.

[0008] According to the invention the seat parting line hasadvantageously nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvatureof less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measuredperpendicular to the surface of the material. In the areas in which theseat parting line curves in a convex manner the radius of curvature isnot as crucial as in the areas in which the seat parting line curves ina concave manner, the former areas being more readily accessible andthus easier to grind.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the hingeeyes in the toilet seat are shaped as apertures in part areas extendingsubstantially perpendicular to the main plane of the seat, whereby amore compact and robust structure is obtained.

[0010] According to the invention the cover of the toilet cover assemblymay be provided with a cover parting line extending continuously andwithout sharp concave notches such that flashes or fins formed duringthe moulding process may be ground off without removing additionalmoulding material.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment the cover parting line hasnowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 10mm, preferably of less 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the surfaceof the cover material.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment the cover parting line hasnowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 5mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured perpendicular to thesurface of the material.

[0013] It should be stressed that the said radii of curvature relate tothe curvatures of the parting lines and not to the curvature of forinstance to the outline of an incision.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment the cover hinge eyes areshaped as blind holes extending into the cover from the first face ofthe cover. As a result the hinges are invisible in the lowered positionof the cover.

[0015] Optionally the cover hinge eyes may be shaped as through holesbeing provided with closing plugs on their outer faces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The invention is explained in greater detail below with referenceto a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, in which

[0017]FIG. 1 is an inclined perspective rear view of a toilet coverassembly according to the invention comprising a toilet seat and anassociated cover,

[0018]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the toilet cover assembly shown in FIG.1,

[0019]FIG. 3 is an inclined and perspective view from below of thetoilet cover assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0020]FIG. 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the toilet coverassembly according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 mounted on a toilet bowl and

[0021]FIG. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the toilet seat and coveraccording to FIGS. 1-4 without a hinge pin.

[0022] Preferred Embodiments

[0023] The toilet cover assembly according to the invention shown inFIGS. 1-5 comprises a seat 1 and a cover 2 and may be secured about ahorizontal axis by means to two hinge pins 0.5. As can be seen, both theseat 1 and the cover 2 are provided with integrated hinge eyes 6,7,(confer FIGS. 4 and 5), through which the hinge pins 5 have beeninserted in the mounted state of the cover assembly.

[0024] The toilet seat 1 is made by compression moulding in a mouldconsisting of a first mould part and a second mould part. A firstsurface of the seat—or to be more precise the face defining the seatingarea 8—is formed of the first mould part, and a second face of the seatis formed of the second mould part. In compression moulding, which isalso called hot pressing, the two heated mould parts are closed aroundthe plastics, which may be in liquid, powder or tablet form. As a resultany excess material is pressed out along the parting line and into theland area between the two mould parts, whereby flashes and fins areformed. The flashes or fins are to be removed when the workpiece hasbeen taken out of the mould. This is typically carried out by removingthe flashes with a wooden stick and subsequently grinding along theparting line. Usually the line has to be ground and polished twice. Bothprocesses are often carried out by means of a programmed robot, thegrinding being made by means of a belt grinder and the polishing beingmade by means of rotating brushes.

[0025] Urea plastics is typically used, but other moulding materialssuch as polyurethane, epoxy or polyester may also be used.

[0026] The cover 2 is made in the same manner as the toilet seat 1. Boththe cover mould and the seat mould are provided with a core puller forforming the hinge eyes 6 and 7, respectively, confer FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0027] Known toilet seats and covers comprising integrated hinge eyeshave projections in which holes are provided. The parting line extendsover these projections making it very difficult—if not impossible—toobtain a smooth grinding of the fin due to the sharp bends or curvesaround the projections. In particular the innermost corners causeproblems, as it is impossible to reach therein by means of a beltgrinder.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 3 according to the invention both theparting line 3 of the seat 1 and the parting line 4 of the cover 2extend continuously without sharp projections or sharp notches. Thisfeature is obtained by providing the hinge eyes in areas of the seat andthe cover, respectively, which are spaced apart from the parting lines.Projections or sharp notches are thus not produced. A robot may thus beeasily programmed to move along the entire periphery of the seat 1 orthe cover 2 for grinding off the flashes along the parting lines 3,4.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the seat parting line 3extending along the central opening of the seat causes no problems.

[0030]FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the hinge area of a toiletcover assembly mounted on a toilet bowl. A conventional angular hingepin S is secured in a through hole in a flange 9 on a toilet bowl bymeans of a flange 11, a first plastic disc 12 and a second plastic disc13, a threaded pin 15 and a nut 14. The horizontally extending free endof the hinge pin 5 has been inserted through the through-going hinge eyein the seat 1 and a blind hole 7 in the cover 2. As shown FIG. 4 abushing 10 may be inserted through the hinge eyes 6,7 to obtain improvedguidance of the hinge pin 5.

[0031] In FIG. 5 the seat 1 and the cover 2 are shown without the hingepin 5.

[0032] In the shown embodiment the smallest concave radius of curvatureR₁ of the parting line 3 is about 17 mm and the smallest convex radiusof curvature R₂ is about 11 mm.

[0033] In the shown embodiment the smallest concave radius of curvatureR₃ of the cover parting line 4 is about 75 mm, while the smallest convexradius of curvature R₄ is about 16 mm.

[0034] By the seat 1 and the cover 2 according to the invention anadvantageous toilet cover assembly is obtained from an aesthetic aspectin that the parting lines may be deflashed and polished without causingunattractive notches and sharp edges. Furthermore, advantages inrelation to strength, moulding and hygiene are also obtained.

[0035] The toilet seat and the cover assembly are not restricted to theabove embodiment.

[0036] The seat and the cover are preferably made from urea plastics,but may also be made from other moulding materials such as polyurethane,epoxy, polyester or other types of plastics.

[0037] The seat and the cover according to the invention areparticularly suitable in connection with compression moulding, in whichthe excess moulding material is pressed out into the land area betweenthe two mould parts. The invention is, however, also advantageous inconnection with other moulding processes, in which fins are formed inthe parting line. Processes are for instance known, in which PUR isfoamed in a closed mould comprising two mould halves hinged together andin which a fin is formed in the parting line.

1. A toilet seat (1) being integrally formed with hinge eyes (6) at its rear edge for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl (9) about a horizontal axis, said toilet seat (1) being made in a moulding process, in particular in a compression moulding process, in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface (8) of the seat being formed of the first mould part and defining the seating area, a second surface of the seat being moulded of the second mould part, and a seat parting line (3) along the outer periphery of the seat and along the periphery of the inner opening of the seat defining the transition between the first surface and the second surface, characterised in that the hinge eyes (6) are provided in areas of the seat (1) which are spaced apart from the seat parting line (3), said seat parting line (3) extends continuously and without sharp, concave notches such that the flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.
 2. A toilet seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the seat parting line (3) has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature (R₁) of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the seat material surface.
 3. A toilet seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the seat parting line (3) has nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature (R₂) of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured perpendicular to the seat material surface.
 4. A toilet seat according to one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the hinge eyes (6) are provided as apertures in part areas extending substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the seat.
 5. A toilet cover assembly comprising a seat (1) according to one of the claims 1-4 and a cover (2), said cover being formed integrally with hinge eyes (7) adjacent its rear edge for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl about a horizontal axis, and further being made in a moulding process, in particular in a compression moulding process, in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface (16) of the cover being formed of the first mould part and facing the seat (1) in the lowered position of the cover (2) and a second surface of the cover being formed of the second mould part, a cover parting line (4) provided along the outer periphery of the cover defining the transition between the first face and the second face, characterised in that cover parting line (4) extends continuously and without sharp concave notches such that flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.
 6. A toilet cover assembly according to claim 5, in which the cover parting line (4) has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature (R₃) of less than 10 mm; preferably of less than 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the seat material surface.
 7. A toilet cover assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the cover parting line (4) has nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature (R₄) of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured perpendicular to the seat material surface.
 8. A toilet seat assembly according to one of the claims 5-7, characterised in that the cover hinge eyes are shaped as blind holes (7) extending into the cover (2) from the first face (16) of the cover.
 9. A toilet seat assembly according to, one of the claims 5-7, characterized in that the cover hinge eyes are shaped as through holes extending from the first face (16) of the cover (2) to the second face of the cover. 